Un-holy smoke! 6
Cops! Crooks! Corruption! 21
FRIDAY MAY 31 2013
vol 1 Issu e 7
Nazrul and his conquests 26
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CONTENTS
A Weekly Pro ducti o n o f
DhakaTribune Vo lume 1, Issu e 7 MAY 31, 2 0 13 Acting Editor Zafar Sobhan Magazine Editor Faruq Hasan Weekend Tribune Team Fahim Razzaq Sumaiya Shams Faisal Mahmud Tamoha Binte Siddiqui Sheikh Mohammed Irfan Yusuf Banna
6 Feature Un-holy smoke!
Photography Syed Latif Hossain Cartoonist Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Contributors Naheed Kamal Omar F Ahmed Ikhtisad Ahmed Kamran Reza Chowdhury Bassema Karaki Dina Sobhan Ibtisam Ahmed Raida AK Reza Design Asmaul Haque Mamun Mohammed Mahbub Alam Cover Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Production Masum Billah Advertising Shahidan Khurshed Circulation Wahid Murad Email: weekend@dhakatribune.com Web: www.dhakatribune.com
11 Top 10 English Movies for Rainy Days
27 Obituary Mohammad Khaled Hossain
2 This Week 4 Whose Line Is It Anyway? When the going gets tough! 5 Big Mouth Strikes Again Where did all the trees go? 10 Post-Riposte Indoors, or outdoors? 12 6° of Connotations What to think of the reduction of upload speed 13 Photo Story 17 Realpolitik The truth about the separation of powers 18 Thought Plot Charging up the grid 20 Interview Blundering along with Blunderware 21 Stranger in a Strange Land Cops! Crooks! Corruption! 22 Tough Love 23 Backbenchers’ Club 24 Day in the Life of A gravekeeper 25 The Way Dhaka Was 26 Culture Vulture Nazrul and his conquests 28 Last Word
EDITOR’S NOTE
The powers that be T
he local tobacco industry, it seems, has an easy sale. Oodles of money, a young, growing population eager to take its first puff and legislation that seems to be having no effect reducing customer base are just some of the factors in their favour. On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, our reporter Faisal Mahmud argues that the tide may slowly be turning. With more funds, sympathetic politicians, and the general population actually more aware about tobacco-related health hazards, the tobacco industry, for the first time in its history, may be forced to play on an even playing field. Elsewhere, to mark our national bard’s 114th birthday, our correspondent Yusuf Banna writes about Kazi Nazrul Islam’s many muses. Ikhtisad Ahmed laments that despite decades of election pledges, Bangladeshi politics still lies centralised in a few pockets of power. Tamoha Binte Siddiqui interviews up-and-coming band Blunderware, and Sheikh Mohammad Irfan is in a ghoulish mood following around a gravekeeper in Banani. Be safe this weekend! n
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THIS WEEK
INTERNATIONAL AP Photo/Jim Young
Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim delivers his speech during a rally.
W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M AY 31, 2013
An X-47B pilot-less drone combat aircraft is launched for the first time off an aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia on May 14. The US Navy made aviation history by catapulting an unmanned jet off an aircraft carrier for the first time, testing a long-range, stealthy, bat-winged plane that represents a jump forward in drone.
AFP photo/Jonathan Nackstrand
Reuters
Jason Reed/Reuters
US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, as he sits next to Israeli president Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa at the King Hussein Convention Centre on May 26.
Firemen extinguish a burning car in Kista after youths rioted in few differant suburbs around Stockholm on May 21. Youths in the immigrant-heavy Stockholm suburb of Husby torched cars and threw rocks at police, in riots believed to be linked to the deadly police shooting of a local resident.
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NATIONAL
FocusBangla
Police charge baton on RMG workers who took to the streets yesterday demanding review and raise of wages and benefits. Most of the factories were shut down due to the clashes that lasted for over three hours and halted traffic
Doctors Society of Bangladesh (a Facebook group) protests in front of BSMMU at Shahbagh, demanding justice for the murder of Dr Shehzadi Afsa. Shezadi was killed on May 13 at Comilla Cantonment
People pay their respects on the 114th birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam on May 25.
Rajib Dhar/Dhaka Tribune
Nashirul Islam/Dhaka Tribune
Nashirul Islam/Dhaka Tribune
Angry garment workers of Misami Bitopi at Mirpur stage a demonstration in front of the factory demanding raise in their wage on May 27.
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whose line is it anyway?
When the going gets tough! “DoC of Ro oMo (Jap an bi in th ) will not ese partn e in e due t local tele vest furt r com h o poo indu er r reg retur u l ation stry n in i s nves Japa tmen and nese DoCo t.” M
e th g in he ow of t will l l s fo re ctice . We ” a e ra rld e! “W st p wo mor d be com ove nM a r d e m air me tel imp Ch Ah ice din C V hud R BT Gias
o rep
resen tativ e
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune
W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M AY 31, 2013
Big Mouth strikes again
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Naheed Kamal
Where did all the trees go? Dhaka has the strange capacity for endurance, but will it survive the onslaught of mindless urbanisation?
D
Dhaka in the early 80s was magical. My earliest memories are of a beautiful green city with parks, canals and wide-open spaces, of living very close to nature. In residential areas like Dhanmondi, trees surrounded the two-storey houses. I knew which tree bore fruits in which season and all their secrets, and they knew mine. The roads were lined with trees; trees surrounded Dhanmondi Lake. While I am glad the lake and surrounding areas are still green today, I have my reservations about where we are heading. This city and its sudden transformation have taught me many important things about life’s impermanence. My love for trees was nurtured by my Nana, inspired by my mother, and is a legacy of my youngest aunt, Shama, who died almost 16 years ago. My childhood memories revolve around time spent in gardens with her. Shama was two when I was born. The youngest of 12 siblings, you can imagine her annoyance when I arrived. As soon as I was old enough to walk, I was always behind her every step of the way. My grandfather was an avid gardener, and I ran wild in his gardens, climbing trees, creating imaginary worlds under the canopy of overgrown vegetation and seasonal plantings, and roamed free, playing with rocks, sticks, leaves and assorted objects, I would come back with scraped knees and my long hair entangled with remnants of leaves, stalks and various other life forms. When Shama was allocated a tiny portion of the garden to plant whatever she wanted to – I must have been six and she was around eight – of course I wanted to grow things too. While Shama was a natural in the garden, I didn’t have the sense or the patience to persevere. While she planted things that grew into pretty blossoms and bore fruits, my plot was a muddy rotting compost heap. The garden became Shama’s domain, where I was allowed to run riot grudgingly. I never did improve much with trees; but trees are mercifully kind to me and grow well enough even if I am not attentive or kind towards them.
These days I barely spend time in the open. I walk to work along the lake; I have fleeting glimpses of a treetop, a branch, or two from my cordoned and curtained window, sometimes. When I have the time I cherish my visits to Ramna. The flat I live in is surrounded, not by trees, but by concrete towers. I never know if it is day or night in my room; we never get direct sunlight and any air that passes brings with it noxious fumes. In our garden, on this same plot of land, we used to have so many trees, I never counted how many. The garden was my kingdom. The trees were my silent protectors. When the women came every year to inoculate, I was up a tree and hiding in the branches, and when my mother was angry I clambered up a wall and on to a tree to escape her stinging slaps. I find it hard to believe how quickly Dhaka has changed from a flourishing, healthy city to a nightmare. My home is a perfect example. There are 20 apartments in place of one home. From the extensive garden, only one tree survived the onslaught of developers (thanks to my father’s youngest brother, who wouldn’t let them cut it down). The frangipani tree was the first tree I ever climbed, and I cherish its existence every day. I share these snippets about gardens and trees because I believe they taught me many subtle lessons, which continue to influence my life choices. If a city needs critical infrastructure such as roads and electricity for society to function, then trees are critical ecological infrastructure without which life on the planet would simply seize to exist. Throughout history, people held ancient groves and sacred trees in reverence for good reason. Trees give us food, shelter and medicines. From Scandinavia to India, Egypt to Japan, life, birth and death are closely connected with forests and trees. To plant a tree is to invest symbolically in life. People plant trees to mark marriages, births and deaths; the longevity and fruitfulness of the trees are said to bestow strength on them. In China, conquering armies would cut down sacred forests instead of de-
stroying temples. The ancient Greeks believed the first man was created from an ash tree. In Siberia, they believed man and woman were created from a larch and a fir, separately. In New Guinea, man was considered a tree that walked! I can’t help but wonder if we can save Dhaka from complete destruction. It may be possible if the next generation is intimate with nature. Seems unlikely if they are confined to apartments and computer screens. How can anyone appreciate the value of trees if they have never climbed one? If they never planted a seed and watched it grow, then they will never understand its meaning. There are children growing up in this city who have never climbed a tree, or seen a plant grow. I fear for the future of my beloved Dhaka and pity these children. Because trees are great teachers and allies; they take on greater meaning in our lives when we live in harmony with them. Without that vital connection, we cannot expect anyone to care for trees.
I
watch the city changing, and I feel helpless. I fret about saving her, and consider abandoning her. Like a love affair gone sour, I want to tell my city that we can’t go on like this; I want to tell her, our relationship has become untenable. I will miss you, I am sorry it had to end this way. We are killing each other. I am beginning to hate you. But the city, she doesn’t care … I find hope in the reclamation of Hatirjheel, the enduring magic of Dhanmondi Lake, and the wonders of Ramna Park, one of the few remaining green spaces open to everyone. Though it is littered and crowded, there are nooks and crannies where you can rest for a moment of quiet contemplation. In just a few decades, we have destroyed all traces of the dense forests and fertile grasslands that covered the area in and around Dhaka. The meandering canals and waterways that connected with larger “khaals” and lakes, all of which eventually flowed in to the four major rivers bordering Dhaka, are all but dead or dying. This city is bursting at the seams. The fact that we have only that
much space to build on, and we have already encroached onto every conceivable portion of land, lakes, forests and swamps, means we can only go one way – up. Fifteen million people call Dhaka home, which is growing daily. There is hardly space to spare for all of us, so who cares if we cut down the trees when there are so many people jostling for a little space?
Naheed Kamal is an irreverent and irreligious feminist. An old soul of indeterminate age, with one too many opinions and a very loud voice (for a little person), she laughs a lot, mostly at herself. She lives in Dhaka, against her best judgement. Mostly, Ms Kamal rants, a lot!
Dhaka has the lowest number of playgrounds and parks per capita in the world. Botanical Garden, Suhrawardy Udyan, Ramna Park, Parliament and Chandrima Udyan, Bahadur Shah Park, and Dhaka Zoo are the only public green spaces Should I find solace in the fact Dhaka is one of the world’s fastest growing mega-cities? Bully for us! But Dhaka is also the most unliveable city in the world. Which makes me think there is little cause for celebrations. A city is what we make of it, we who live in it. If we give it a monstrous shape, it will become a monster. By cutting down the few remaining trees in our city, I fear we are creating a monster. n
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Faisal Mahmud is a staff reporter at Weekend Tribune who specialises in writing IT and telecom articles with depth and analysis. He is also in charge of the weekly Tech page for the newspaper
FEATURE
Tobacco Control
Un-holy smoke!
Faisal Mahmud writes about how far Bangladesh has come since ratifying the FCTC eight years ago
A
s a product, tobacco is unique. It’s the only consumer product in the world that can be termed as “legally deadly.” Recreational drugs are illegal in every country, and alcohol in some, but tobacco is legal, and it causes three times more death than those caused by the other two, combined. Incidentally, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) – the international tobacco control treaty by the World Health Organisation (WHO) – imposes a legal obligation on the more than 150 countries that have ratified the treaty to adopt effective smoke-free air law. Bangladesh was amongst the few other countries to ratify the FCTC in 2004. It passed the Smoking and Tobacco Product Usage Act 2005 to take anti-tobacco measures in the country.
Arif Ali/AFP
Strong law needs strong implementation
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Tobacco use is a widespread phenomenon in Bangladesh. According to a WHO report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008, nearly two-thirds of the world’s smokers live in 10 countries, including Bangladesh. Two in five people aged 15 years or more in Bangladesh use tobacco in one way or another. The country is actually facing double burden of tobacco – high consumption and large production. However, it’s the first signatory of the FCTC and 20th ratifying country in the world. Following this, Bangladesh government enacted the Bangladesh Tobacco Control Act in 2005 and rules in 2006. The act allowed bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship for tobacco industry, as well as smoking in public places and transports, and requires warning on cigarette packets. However, direct tobacco advertising was banned only for smoking products. Advertisements through points of sale, internet, TV and radio were not covered in that law. Tobacco products like bidi (made of raw tobacco), jorda (tobacco leaf) and gul (grains of tobacco) did not fall under the tobacco control law. Since these products come cheap, they are
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Inflation Adjusted Cigarette Prices and Per Capita Cigarette Consumption, Bangladesh 1995-2010 100
500
Real Price Per Pack of 20 in Taka (2010)
Per Capita Cigarette Consumption
What’s new in the amended law? n
80 400
Mandatory pictorial warning on the cigarette packets, instead of simple text warning n
Banning points of sales (PoS) advertisements, a loophole in the previous laws that the tobacco companies had exploited
60
n
40
’97
’99
’01
’03
’05
’07
300
’09
Sources: Euromonitor International 2011; Economist Intelligence Unit, 2011; World Bank, 2011; and Authors’ Calculation.
Banning the labelling cigarettes as “low” or “light” n
Banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 18, as well as their sale by anyone under 18
National Tobacco Regulation Cell
easily available to the greater part of the poor population, including females and children. Anti-tobacco activists termed the 2005 act “weak” and insufficient to effectively control tobacco usage in the country. They believe that the law has some loopholes, using which the tobacco companies run their promotional activities. Also, the lack of implementation and proper monitoring has made some provisions of the law futile. As a result, activists demanded an amendment for the 2005 act, and after fighting the tobacco industry for over eight years, the amendment was
approved by the Parliament in April this year, allowing stricter provisions for tobacco control. The amended act states that smokers in public areas will be slapped with a fine of Tk300, instead of the previous Tk50 fine. However, it also presents a challenge in implementing said rule as not any and all lawenforcing agencies in the country can impose the fine. Only designated authorities like upazila administrator (UNO) and upazila health officer will be able to do that. The revised act also bans the tobacco businesses advertising, directly and indirectly, under the guise
26.4% men and 27.9% women in Bangladesh are using chewing tobacco
43.3% people above the age 15 in Bangladesh are consuming tobacco whether in smoking or smokeless form
of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) – something that the antitobacco campaigners have long been demanding. The law finally recognises smokeless products like jorda and gul as tobacco products and widened the definition of public places, including parks, restaurants and private organisations. Dr Mahfuzul Haque, technical officer at WHO Bangladesh, said that the amended tobacco control law is a strong tool in the fight against the widespread tobacco usage in the country. “But a law is just some written lines
in a paper unless it is implemented properly,” he said. There is a need for a nationwide campaign addressing people living in rural areas who are in danger of unconstrained tobacco use, according to Dr Haque. “We need to set up help centres where people will be counselled to quit smoking and get therapy, like nicotine patch and chewing gum, with proper instructions in order to help difficult-to-quit cases. We can incorporate awareness programmes, counselling to help quit tobacco and other facilities in the primary healthcare settings as well,” he said.
44.7% men above the age 15 and 1.5% women above the age 15 are smokers in Bangladesh
63% of the country’s population above the age 15 are suffering from second hand smoke in the workplace Bigstock
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FEATURE
Tobacco Control
Prices per pack in international dollars, 2010
Sri Lanka India Thailand Nepal
The proposed provisions not included in the amended law n
Cancel out the provision for having a designated smoking zone in public places n
Give incentives to the tobacco farmers to switch to other cultivation
Indonesia Cheapest Brand
Maldives
Most Sold Brand
Myanmar Bangladesh 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Source: WHO, 2011 Note: International (purchasing power parity-adjusted) dollars used for comparability National Tobacco Regulation Cell
The effectiveness of tobacco taxation
The tobacco companies are among the world’s most sophisticated and successful marketers. So, experts concerned across the world have agreed on principle that the best way to control tobacco usage effectively is to increase taxes on the products. Higher prices encourage existing users to cut down on or quit using tobacco, and prevent initiation among potential users. It is to be noted that the World Bank (WB) recommends adopting tax policies from the countries with comprehensive tobacco control policies where tobacco consumption has fallen. Such countries have tobacco taxes between two-thirds to four-fifths of the retail price. Few low and middleincome countries, however, have implemented this level of taxation. In Bangladesh, tobacco taxation is a bit tricky and the tobacco companies take full advantage of that. Also, because of such tricky policies, prices have been falling and the market is flooded with cheap cigarettes. W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M AY 31, 2013
About 45 billion sticks of cigarettes were consumed annually in Bangladesh five years ago. The number reached 70 billion in 2010, due to a dramatic rise in the sales of low-priced cigarettes. Over 2.5 million new users were added to the smokers’ community in the last five years alone, as Bangladeshis continue to throw away Tk197.2mn daily in puffing away or inhaling tobacco smoke and smokeless products. Incidentally, Bangladesh does not have a uniform tobacco tax model; there are four taxation slabs based on cigarette pricing. Tax on 10-stick packs priced at Tk8.40-9.15 is 48%. Tax on packs priced at Tk 18.40-19 is 68%, those priced at Tk 27-32 is 71% and those priced at Tk 52 to above is 73%. Cigarettes priced at Tk1 constitute over 51% of the total harmful products consumed, which was only 20% five years ago. Because of the tax benefit, selling this particular type of cigarettes has become very lucrative. All the cigarette manufacturing companies in Bangladesh are fighting tooth and nail
Tobacco has the following poisonous materials among many more: n n n n n n n
Nicotine Carbon Monoxide Hydrogen Cyanide Benzopyrene Formaldehyde Ammonia Polonium 210
for a piece of this expanding pie. As a result, a range of new brands have made inroad into the Tk1 segment. About 40-50 brands now offer the Tk1 cigarettes. Research studies conducted by the country’s anti-tobacco activists have shown that if Bangladesh adopted
a uniform excise tax of Tk34 for 10 cigarettes and eliminate the existing multi-tiered ad-valorem structure, it would increase the tax to 70% of the average retail price. The study also states such taxation structure would encourage nearly seven million adult smokers to quit, keep over seven million youngsters from smoking, prevent almost six million premature deaths caused by cigarette smoking and provide an additional Tk15bn in tax revenue. Under the same taxation structure, Tk4.95 of tax applied on a pack of 25 bidis would reduce the number of adult bidi smokers by over 3.4 million, prevent almost 3.5 million young users from taking up bidi smoking, prevent nearly 2.4 million premature deaths related to bidi smoking and generate Tk7.2bn in tax revenues, according to the study. Taifur Rahman, coordinator of the US-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) and a tobacco economist, also commented on the current tax structure in Bangladesh. “Here, a supplementary duty is imposed as a percent of price.
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The supplementary duty varies significantly depending on the tobacco products and brands. Cheaper brands have much lower tax rates than the expensive ones,” he said. Excise taxes on cigarettes account for just over one half of the retail prices on average, while for bidis they account for approximately 10% of the retail price, as Taifur said. “This falls well below the level in the countries with strong tobacco control policies, where excise taxes typically account for more than 70% of the retail price,” he added. Taifur believes the government should increase taxes on all tobacco products to be equivalent to cigarette taxes, implement annual adjustments
to retain real value over time and account for increases in income and earmark tobacco tax revenues for health purposes, including health promotion and tobacco control.
The challenges ahead
Tobacco companies have strong footing, both in Bangladesh and the rest of the world. It took eight years to amend the 2005 tobacco control act because of the direct influence of the tobacco companies at the policymaking level. The tobacco companies are aware of the different approaches made by the anti-tobacco activists and actively fight against these efforts as they curb their sales. Time and again,
these companies have used their resources to kill those policies, water them down when they cannot stop them altogether and undermine their enforcement when they are passed. Because of that, anti-tobacco activists have been saying that the governments should curtail tobacco companies’ involvement in public health policy. Article 5.3 of the FCTC obligates parties to “protect these (public health) policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.” World health assembly resolution 54.18, the FCTC preamble and its articles 12(e) and 20.4(c) provide governments with the international community’s support to stand up to
interference from the tobacco industry. Bangladesh now has a strong law in hand, some dedicated group of anti-tobacco activists that relentlessly persuade the policymakers to gain their anti-tobacco stance and a proactive media community to aware people about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption. The silver lining is surely there amid the yet thick smoking cloud. The author has recently won the Progga-PIB Tobacco Control Journalism Award 2013. n
Did you know? n
The economic cost of tobacco use in Bangladesh accounted for over 3% of GDP in 2004 n
Nearly Tk51bn was spent on treatment of diseases caused by smoking n
Smoking-attributable productivity cost was Tk59bn in 2011-12 n
Cigarette price in Bangladesh are among the lowest in the world; bidis are even cheaper n
Wikimedia Commons
Decrease in real prices and increases in real incomes have made tobacco products increasingly affordable in recent years
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POST-RIPOSTE
Smoking Zones
Indoors or outdoors? Keep it confined
Sumaiya Shams
R
eally, it’s a redundant question. You may want to poison yourself with the “death stick,” but that doesn’t mean you can impose your choice on others. Research has shown that cigarette smoke is just as hazardous for non-smokers as for smokers, if not more. A study by the WHO (World Health Organisation) in 2010 revealed how passive smoking has lasting health effects on those who are continuously exposed to cigarette smoke over a prolonged period, especially children, with higher risks of developing asthma and pneumonia, while smokers are more prone to heart attacks, respiratory illness and lung cancer. If smokers think they are not
placing others at risk as well as making themselves more susceptible to the ill effects of smoking, then consider the findings of an extensive research conducted by Anhui Medical University, China and King’s College London. The research directly links passive smoking to neurological diseases. Sceptics may roll their eyes at my concern, but I don’t fancy the idea of a rotten lung or a damaged heart. As it is, we live in one of the most polluted cities on earth; Dhaka’s air is enough to shorten my life span by several years. So, why should I have to endure the added misery of cigarette smoke? Given the fact that some people choose to smoke in spite of all the
reasons not to, I think we should confine smokers to specific areas, and therefore we need to have smoking zones in public spaces and facilities. It might even be a good idea to designate smoking areas in residential buildings. Non-smokers have the right to live healthy lives and that easily trumps any smokers’ right to enjoy a smoke anywhere they want to without thinking about the harm they do themselves and others. To those who like to smoke: think of it this way – if you are segregated from the rest of us, at least you know that in a smoking room, you’ll always find like-minded people to bond over your shared interests. n
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune
S
ome people, smokers to be precise, argue smoking areas are an inconvenience for smokers, who have to then go to designated areas just to indulge in their habit. But have they considered the inconvenience they cause to nonsmokers when they choose to smoke everywhere? Let’s first break the myth that smoking zones prevent the harmful impact of cigarette smoke. No matter how green the designated space or good the ventilation of any building is, the harmful particles that permeate the smoking room will eventually pervade the entire building, as per findings by the US-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK). Additionally, confining smokers doesn’t have any impact on reducing the number of W E E K E N D TRIBUNE F R I DAY, M AY 31, 2013
smokers either. In fact, the habit is actually built through long-time exposure. A study conducted by the Bloomberg Foundation found where senior staff in any given organisation were smokers, then the chances of their non-smoking subordinates eventually becoming smokers within a short time were greater. So, we find peer pressure or the need to fit in is as much a cause for taking up cigarette smoking as exposure. In fact, the American Medical Association has revealed that by not having any designated smoking zones in any building or public areas, over 41 people are encouraged to quit the habit eventually and within a very short time. The hassle of finding a suitable place to smoke in is not worth the effort if not found within a short
period of time, and so in time smokers stop. In the US, where businesses, organisations and educational institutions do not have any designated smoking zones, the number of smokers dropped from 56% to 28% between 1997 to 2004, and since the numbers have tapered steadily from 24.4% in 2003 to 18.7% in 2010, the simple reason being none of them has designated smoking zone. In Bangladesh, we have a very strict tobacco control law, which has made provisions to ban designated smoking zones in offices and educational institutions. But the country’s anti-tobacco campaigners seem to have a very strong position; their vehement opposition to the law being amended means it has not yet been established. n
More bad than good Yusuf Banna
TOP 10
11
English Movies for Rainy Days
Enjoy the lazy afternoon What do you do when a nasty bout of rain ruins your weekend? It’s pouring outside and you’re stuck in the house. But we can’t let the weekend go to waste, can we? Imagine a perfectly serene afternoon – a comfy couch, a steaming mug of tea, the sound of the downpour outside and a movie that promises to be worth your time. Sumaiya Shams suggests 10 English movies that would fit the bill
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The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
A romantic drama adapter from a novel of the same name, this story revolves around one Henry DeTamble, who has a genetic order that makes him travel through time. Henry struggles to have a normal life because of his “condition.” Have a tissue box nearby if you’re the crying type.
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Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)
This romance-slash-sci-fi tells the story of an estranged couple, portrayed by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, who meet on a train, having no recollections of their failed relationship a few years back. The film has a dark edge, but the end more than makes up for it.
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Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Another Audrey Hepburn classic, this romantic comedy is about one Holly Golightly, a naive, eccentric society girl fascinated by an ordinary young man who moves into her apartment building. This role proved to be most challenging one for Hepburn, as well as the most memorable one.
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Roman Holiday (1953)
This romantic comedy is an all-time favourite of many. Audrey Hepburn plays a princess who is frustrated with her tightly-scheduled life. She escapes from her royal convoy, and in the process she meets Gregory Peck’s character. It’s a classic romantic flick that makes you sigh in the end.
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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-03)
This series of epic fantasy adventure films are based on novels of same name by JRR Tolkein. The story is told beautifully with great attention to details; you’ll be lost in a completely different world without even realising it. Best choice for an epic movie marathon.
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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
4
American History X (1998)
A perfect blend of crime and horror genres, this thriller is about an FBI agent (Jodie Foster) taking help from an incarcerated serial killer (Sir Anthony Hopkins) to pursue another serial killer. It’s one of the all-time classics and a must-watch.
This drama stars Edward Norton playing Derek Vinyard, a young, charismatic man whose world turns upside down when his father is killed by a black man. This creates a deep hatred for any and everyone who isn’t a Caucasian in Derek’s mind, so much so that he ends up killing two black thugs. Later, he comes to realisation that the world is not defined by black and white only, but pays a brutal price for his past mistakes. Another thought-provoking film.
3
Forrest Gump (1994)
2
The Star Wars Series (1977-2008)
Sumaiya Shams is senior staff sub-editor at Weekend Tribune. When she isn’t busy with grammar corrections, she tries to write. You can reach her on Twitter: @sumaiya_s
This epic romantic comedy drama may be the best work of Tom Hanks. It tells the story of Forrest Gump (Hanks), a young man with below-average IQ and a taste for athletes. While struggling through life, Gump manages to influence a few defining events in the 20th-century US. This is a film that forces you to stop and think.
If you haven’t heard of Star Wars, you’ve been living under a rock. This epic sci-fi series has six episodes, with the seventh due in 2015. The expanse of the pop culture that developed based on this franchise is a clear indication how great the movies are.
1 The Godfather Trilogy (1972-90)
Mahbub Alam/Dhaka Tribune
Based on the Mario Puzo novel, this crime drama trilogy sees the ups and downs of the Corleones, a powerful family the controls the mafia in New York. Widely regarded as the best in the history of cinema, these films show the humane side of a family that lead the world of organised crime. n
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6o of connotations
Omar F Ahmed
Omar F Ahmed is a culinary artiste and a social scientist. He spends his time challenging social norms and whipping up delicious deserts for his friends
What to think of the reduction of upload speed DISCLAIMER: This article is about general views, not individual experiences
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absolutely understand what the government is going through, I really do. All these “bloggers” doing all this “blogging” against the country’s major parties, it must be terribly difficult. It is never easy dealing with bullying, of any sort – be it online or offline. So, reducing the upload speed by 75% is a great thing if you look at it from that aspect. But in any case, there is more than one aspect. Now, let’s look at it through the eyes of the average Bangali person. WHAT IN THE WORLD?! The internet is not only used for “blogging,” as they call it, and writing crude remarks about the perfect government. There are businesses in every sector of the economy running via the internet. E-commerce has only recently begun in Bangladesh and it needs to be empowered. Had Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Board (BTRC) sealed the deal and reduced the upload speed, this sector would most
in price, a major downfall of the exchange rate and an altogether disaster in the market. The idea of reducing the upload speed is still understandable, as it makes sense in the eyes of a troubled leader of a major political party in Bangladesh. There may be consequences to this act such as the demolition of votes cast by the general public, which consists of people already in doubt about said party’s power. It is understandable that they want to achieve greatness by reducing the amount of faulty and biased information that is uploaded onto the World Wide Web every day, but that does not mean it’s getting them more voters. The people who do vote for them are the exact same people who are using the internet daily for numerous reasons. In the words of a fellow colleague who did not have much to say about this: “Reduce upload speed, reduce chances of ever winning again.”
Bloggers are a regular menace. They are right up there with infidels, kleptocrats, “eve teasers” and Shahbagh atels
s we look at this from different aspects, one thing is for certain – upload speed may not matter to most of us in the non-commercial sectors. It’s all about downloads here. Streaming videos, reading online or surfing the web – all have to do with downloading. Uploading is only required in certain circumstances, when uploading videos, posting online and updating information throughout the web. So, I would say the non-commercial sectors can still manage. Then, again, there are the commercial sectors. How would they deal with this? What hell this would cause them
likely face a major downfall. The public sector may not be powered by the internet and its divine qualities, but the private sector heavily depends on it. There are businesses that thrive on the internet and cannot function without it. Imagine what would happen one month into this new rule: a major decrease in supply, a drastic increase
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can only be imagined now, as BTRC has backtracked on its decision. Now, we can all just wait and see what comes next.
Upload speeds may not matter to us general public, but they are a lifeline for most public sector businesses Till then, we can all just stop blogging and start doing something useful with our lives. For example, NOT blogging. I hope someday the term “blogging” will be used in its original term … n
PHOTO STORY
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SIRAJGANJ
Sirajganj
A photo story by Joybrata Sarker
To the West of the Brahmaputra and beside the mighty Jamuna, lies the Sirajganj town in Northern area of Bangladesh about about 70 miles (110 km) northwest of Dhaka. Once considered as one of the principal centres for jute production and trade, it is succumbing to a constant threat of river erosion. Within one week, the dam that is considered to be the strongest in the country and meant to protect the town and peripheral area broke down thrice in quite a few places. It was supposed to last more than a century. Short term measures included dumping geo bags as sandbar and cement-made blocks at the wrecked spots. WAPDA and local people worked together to resist erosion in the face of merciless strong currents of monsoon flash floods.
The dam, to the disappointment of the people it was supposed to protect, can’t always stand against the madly raging torrents of the Jamuna. Repeated landslides at hard points - the strong bends where whirlpool of currents leads to deep cavity at the bottom of dam - proves their poor strength. For people of Sirajganj, what monsoon does bring is sheer panic, not any romantic notions about rain or poetry. The sufferings of these char dwellers is often unnoticed among many within the NGO community, they are also secluded from relief support. Being destitutes, these people are forced to move to big cities. Such is the strife of the people of Sirajganj, who helplessly look forward to the government and its experts for salvation from this looming peril. n
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PHOTO STORY
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SIRAJGANJ
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PHOTO STORY Joybrata Sarker is a freelance photographer. He also specialises in lifestyle documentary
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SIRAJGANJ
REALPOLITIK
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Separation of Powers
The truth about the separation of powers
Ikhtisad Ahmed writes about the lack of decentralisation in the Bangladeshi governance
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he doctrine of separation of powers dates back to Aristotle, who posited the idea of separating different elements of governance in “Politics.” The argument was that this would better serve the rule of law that is “better than that of any individual.” Championed by Locke and Montesquieu in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was developed to devolve the power of the administration in order to prevent centralisation of power, and to make the administration efficient and accountable by being answerable to the law. Since Bangladesh is neither a monarchy nor an autocracy on paper, the lawmakers are supposed to be separate from the law enforcers. The Constitution states that there should be separation of powers: legislation, judicial and executive powers must each be autonomous, answerable to one another to provide checks and balances, and free from dominant influence from one another. Yet, the Constitution and laws were amended with ease and without restriction from the judiciary between 1971 and 1990 by various heads of government, enabling them to increase their power or hold on to it. Similar attempts have been made by democratically elected governments since. This overrules the judiciary and prevents it from acting independently, and allows lawmakers to be more important than the law. One of the reasons why it has been so easy to undermine the judiciary is that it has never truly been independent. Dating back to the First Amendment that inserted a clause to prosecute and punish people accused of specific crimes and an article that made certain fundamental rights inapplicable in such cases, the rights of citizens continued to be curtailed by their suspension under certain circumstances by the Second Amendment. This prevented the judiciary from applying the
Ikhtisad Ahmed is a writer and an erstwhile lawyer. He is bound by absurdity, and exists, therefore he is
Did you know? n
The Constitution has been amended 15 times since coming into effect, an average of one amendment every two and two-third years. By comparison, the US Constitution has been amended 27 times since September17, 1787, an average of one amendment every eight and one-third years. It was amended for the 15th time nearly a hundred years after it was adopted Wikimedia Commons
law equally at all times. The Fourth Amendment took away the independence of the judiciary almost entirely, and the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the protection and enforcement of fundamental rights was revoked. The Fifth Amendment further incapacitated the judiciary by depriving it of the authority to examine or challenge the validity of any changes made to the Constitution since 1975. A similar change was effected by the Seventh Amendment, which stated that any laws passed between March 24, 1982 and November 11, 1986 were valid and immune from being questioned by the judiciary.
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he administration’s intervention in matters of the judiciary has not simply been limited to such sweeping declarations. The former has imposed its will on the latter by
raising the retirement ages of judges by passing the 14th Amendment. Given that judges are appointed by the President, who is elected by a parliament that votes along party lines (ie the majority that forms government all vote in the same manner on any matter), the judiciary can be dictated by the administration and used by it to implement its will for longer if judges are made to retire later, especially since it is almost impossible to remove a judge from his/her office. Incidentally, the parliamentary procedures in relation to voting is also the reason why the party that holds the majority is able to pass laws and modify policies as it pleases, often unchecked and unhindered by the judiciary. Bangladesh seemed to be set for a different, improved, course when a group of judicial officers took the matter of the judiciary needing to be free from executive control to
the High Court in 1995. The Supreme Court directed the government on December 2, 1999 on how the judiciary should be separated. The ties were not severed as that and subsequent governments failed to comply with the directions. It seemed in January 2013, however, that the Supreme Court had taken up the issue again. The strength of the judiciary and the supremacy of law rest on the constitution of any country. The Constitution of Bangladesh has not only been subjected to many amendments that have increased the powers of lawmakers at the expense of the judiciary, but it has also been suspended at various times by military and quasi-military regimes, rendering law-enforcers completely ineffective. The judiciary has rarely been a nuisance to the administration, instead being a tool for it and a toy for the lawmakers. n
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The Basic Principles of the Independence of the Judiciary, adopted by the United Nations in 1985, states that all nations are to ensure judicial independence within their territories n
Articles 95 and 96 of the Constitution state how judges are to be appointed and what their tenure will be
The Constitution over the years 1972: The Constitution comes into effect on December 16. Article 22 states that “the separation of the judiciary from the executive organs of the state” is a fundamental principle of state policy. Article 94(4) states, “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution the Chief Justice and the other judges shall be independent in
the exercise of their judicial functions.” 1975: The Fourth Amendment is passed on January 25. The judiciary loses much of its independence, and certain fundamental rights of citizens are revoked. The Supreme Court is prevented from enforcing these rights or providing protection
1979: The Fifth Amendment is passed on April 6. It establishes all changes made to the Constitution and the law from 1975 onwards as being valid. The judiciary is denied the power to call any of it into question
1986: The Seventh Amendment is passed on the November 11. Laws from March 24, 1982 to this date are exempt from judicial examination 2004: The 14th Amendment is passed on May 16. It increases the tenure of judges by raising their age of retirement
2010: The Supreme Court rules that, contrary to the immunity granted by the Fifth and Seventh Amendments, the amendments made to the Constitution during military regimes and subsequent presidential governments were unlawful. This is a strong argument for independence of the judiciary, as that would
have prevented such amendments from having been passed
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THOUGHT PLOT
Kamran Reza Chowdhury is a special correspondent at Dhaka Tribune
Power Import
Charging up the grid Kamran Reza Chowdhury writes about a feasible solution to the power crisis in Bangladesh Wikimedia Commons
The general population’s apathy with ‘load-shedding’ has played into the hands of an inefficient government
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eset with the series of problems caused by the frequent power outages, housewife Soma Akhter, 40, strives everyday to manage her household activities – from cooking to bathing. Unpredictable power cuts for hours during the hot and sultry weather in Kushtia’s Bheramara town, where Soma lives with her family, have made people’s lives apparently difficult. Like residents of other towns and villages, people here are tolerant of the power outages, calling it as loadshedding, a term popularised by the government-employed engineers to cover up the failure to supply uninterrupted power to the populace. Soma is a mother of three children, the youngest being a three-year-old son.
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“Load-shedding during winter is not a problem, but in summer it becomes unbearable. I have to use a hand fan, sometimes for an hour straight, to put my son to sleep,” she said. “And then I have to worry about the food in the fridge, lest it gets rotten. “Ultimately, we, the women, bear the ultimate pain of load-shedding. Can we not be relieved from this situation (power outages)?” she asked. The other residents in Bheramara, a town bordering with the state of West Bengal in India, complained about the sufferings they are put through due to power disruption as well. Naznin Andalib, a housewife living in Dhaka’s Nakhalpara area, had something to say about one of the most common phenomena in
Bangladesh too. “We cannot go even to the toilet sometimes during the power cuts. It turns the house into a desert,” she said. Life in Bahrampur in West Bengal, on the other hand, is quite different. The town is just on the other side of the border, right across Bheramara. Sunil Das, a Bahrampur resident, said over telephone: “We hardly have power outages. There is no such problem here.” Bhavya Anand, an engineer (international business) working at the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, told this reporter that Bahrampur was a power-surplus area. To tackle with the power crisis, for the first time Dhaka signed a bilateral deal with Delhi to procure 250MW of electricity from India’s power-
surplus regions. In line with the plan, the two governments have been implementing a project to connect the power distribution of Bangladesh with that of India through BheramaraBahrampur point. Both Soma and Naznin feel that the authorities should acquire electricity regardless of the sources, as people are ready to pay for an uninterrupted power supply. “What is the problem if it (power) comes from India or other country?” Soma asked in turn when she was asked of her opinion about importing power from the neighbouring countries, like India and Bhutan. Experts say Bangladesh can easily meet its growing demand for electricity through procurement from India, Nepal and Bhutan – the
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In a globalised world, interdependency is a necessity not a choice. Political grandstanding aside, the same should apply to sharing power with neighbouring countries Bigstock Wikimedia Commons
countries with huge hydropower potential. M Tamim, former adviser to the caretaker government, said: “This is a good beginning of the power trade.” According to the power development board officials, the daily power demand in the country is around 8,000MW, with a supply of 6,500MW. Experts believe that, with an expanding economy posting over 6% growth for years, Bangladesh must diversify its energy regime; over 80% of its power projects are fuelled by natural gas. The fast depleting gas reserves (estimated to end by 2019, unless new fields are discovered) rings an alarm for the policymakers, and they must find an alternative power source for a sustainable economy. A major factor that can shape the power trade is a friendly relationship with our neighbours while upholding the national interests. Being one of the biggest economies in the world, India buys hydropower from Bhutan for its energy-deficit places. Similarly, Bhutan procures power from India for its inaccessible areas. Bhutan is not far away from our northern fringe. The Bhutanese power sites are connected to the Indian power grid that can easily be stretched up to Bangladesh for regional energy trade. Similarly, the closest point of Nepal is about 12km away from Bangladesh. It could have been linked with the country’s distribution network, had there been political wisdom and negotiating skills. In today’s interdependent world, this is almost impossible for a country to be self-reliant on everything. For instance, even the developed countries like the US, Germany, Britain and other European states are dependent on Bangladesh for RMG products. The government’s initiative to import power from India, flouting the nationalistic clamour that such move was aimed to make Bangladesh dependent on its neighbouring “Big Brother,” is a courageous move. One would do well to think of it from a practical perspective, as oppose to the hardline nationalistic views. n
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DAY IN THE LIFE OF
A Gravekeeper
Looking after the departed Sheikh Mohammed Irfan writes about the keeper of Banani graveyard
Sheikh Mohammed Irfan is a pragmatist, bringing spotlight to the persistent problems in Bangladesh
Whether you know it as “enlightenment,” “selfactualisation,” or “attogyan,” Sanaullah displays all the qualities of a man at infinite peace with himself, his Creator, and the universe
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ave you ever wondered what it would be like to care for graves for a living? As morbid as it sounds, after interviewing my first gravekeeper, it became clear to me that this line of work has more benefit than one would imagine. Sanaullah, a man in his 50s with hands tough enough to break tree trunks, is a grave digger and keeper working in Dhaka’s Banani graveyard. Following in his father’s footsteps, he became a gravekeeper at the age of 30 after moving into the city from his village in Chandpur. “My uncle was a grave digger as well, and he got me this job after I got married,” the bearded man said while the rain poured heavily in the background. Sanaullah’s work begins at 8 every morning, when he tends to the 50 graves he is paid to maintain. “I work on 10 alternating graves daily till the sun sets. I dig out weeds, water plants around, clean the graves’ surroundings and pray for the deceased,” he said. When asked whether it made him depressed, he replied: “In many ways, these departed souls are luckier dead than they were alive. They are with Allah now. This world is hell compared with the afterlife.” Sanaullah is not afraid of death, but rather welcomes it. He believes this life is nothing but a shield over
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Photos: Fahim Razzaq/Dhaka Tribune
our eyes meant to be raised one day so we can reunite with our Creator. He makes around Tk7000 every month for tending to the graves. “I thank Allah for giving me this job. I can’t have a mansion, nor do I dream of luxuries, but this money gets my family and me by just fine.” When the time comes for a burial, Sanaullah, and three others who work in the graveyard, work together to dig up a grave and bury the body. “I have never actually seen a dead body. They are always cleaned and covered before being sent to us,” he said. They get paid a collective of anything from Tk500 to Tk3000 for their labour. “Sometimes, we don’t get paid at all, but I don’t mind. My father used to do this for free in the village, and I want to follow his example,” he said. When asked whether he believed in urban legends of Khokkosh-Rakhkhosh – who supposedly dig up and steal freshly buried bodies ¬–¬ Sanaullah simply laughed and shook his head. “I have never experienced anything supernatural. I know Jinn exist, but I don’t waste any time fretting about them.” Apparently, he is also unfamiliar with the often reported “strange behaviour” of animals around graveyards. “I have never seen or heard anything about animals acting strangely around graves, but it
is possible they can hear or sense what we do not,” he replied thoughtfully. With over 1,000 bodies buried beneath it, the Banani graveyard has no more space for personal graves. “We only have shared graves for the bodies now. In a way, this is better, because if a bad person gets buried with a good person, perhaps he will reap some of the good person’s blessings and his suffering will diminish,” Sanaullah said hopefully. His devoted heart, powerful body and pious mind make Sanaullah a wonder for all those willing to take a closer look. Whether his line of work shaped his spiritual harmony or he was born with innate wisdom is hard to tell, but it seems he has been blessed with the inner peace that some spend their whole lifetime trying to attain. “I don’t know where I’ll be buried; that is up to Allah, as is everything. I hope my two sons will bury me in my father’s grave, but no one can tell what the future holds,” he said. n
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
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Gangster Squad
Cops! Crooks! Corruption! Bassema Karaki compares early 20th century LA to life in Dhaka today
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Bassema Karaki is a LebaneseAmerican married to a Bangladeshi. She shares how strange, crazy, and humorous life in Bangladesh can appear to an outsider looking in
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune
efore watching “Gangster Squad” – a crime movie based on the real-life story of mafia gangster Mickey Cohen – I had read many sceptical reviews about how lacking it was in content. As I began to watch it, I soon realised it was as predictable as any other gangster movie – a celebrated struggle between authorities and criminals that ends in the defeat of organised crime. One thing that distinguished this movie for me, however, was the striking resemblance I found between life in Los Angeles during the 1950s and life in Dhaka today. If you live in Dhaka, you can easily place a face to every character portrayed in this movie. For those who have yet to see the movie, allow me to introduce you to the typical personalities currently running the city of Dhaka. Meet Mickey Cohen — mentioned in the movie as “a master of his own insatiable lust for power” — whom we will call “Sohel” for the sake of Bangladeshi resemblance. Sohel is the most powerful gangster in Dhaka, controlling all the thugs in town and ruthlessly expanding his criminal underworld. From drug trafficking to gambling houses to brothels, Sohel runs every illegal business in the book. With money comes power, and Sohel’s shameless habit of handing out bribes gives him control over both the illegal and legal systems in Dhaka. Whether it’s the collapse of an illegally constructed building that results in the death of thousands, or the murder of reporters doing an inside scoop on his criminal activity, Sohel will always find a way to wash his hands clean of scandals. With the police and court in his pocket, he will eliminate any witness daring and honest enough to speak out against his criminal system. Sohel, of course, requires a companion to refine his rough, illiterate behaviour and, as money can buy anything, he ends up paying Barsha (Grace Faraday) to be his girlfriend and etiquette coach. Barsha, a girl who makes sure to look top-notch and sophisticated around Sohel, was seeking fame when she got involved with Sohel’s gangsters. Constantly torn between good and evil, she knows she is playing with fire, but it’s the only way to get what she wants. Later, her desires change as she falls in love with another man and has an affair behind Sohel’s back. When Sohel finds out, he sends his thugs to kill the man and throw acid on Barsha’s face to send her a message: if he can’t have her, no one else can. Sound familiar?
Meet Judge Choudhury (Judge Carter), a city judge who protects Sohel and his thugs legally and is repaid in the form of prostitutes. He allows crime to reign free for his own personal pleasure and shows no hint of guilt for doing so. Judge Choudhury’s corruption is matched only by that of the Bangladeshi police force, which Sohel turns into his own criminal organisation. When Sohel isn’t drinking with the High Sheriff, police chief, lawyers and judges, he and his thugs are getting away with everything – from rape to murder. The unwritten rule of the city is: stay out of Sohel’s business if you know what’s best for you. Finally, meet Masud Rana (John), an honest, hardworking veteran who has recently moved to Dhaka with his
wife. As an “honest cop,” he is appalled by the corruption running free in the city and even more shocked at people’s ability to turn a blind eye towards it. People tell him they are used to the way things run and are scared to take a stance against Sohel’s dangerous gangs.
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hief Yasin (Chief Parker) ¬– one of the few honest police chiefs left in town – sees Masud’s potential to put an end to crime and orders him to form a squad of detectives to destroy Sohel’s criminal activity. Despite his pregnant wife’s pleas to stay out of danger and fellow policemen warning him not to “feed or tease the animals,” Masud goes undercover to destroy Sohel’s empire. With several casualties, he is able to put a stop to Sohel’s
corruption and turn Dhaka into a safer place to live. While the arrest of Sohel and annihilation of crime is somewhat of a Hollywood happy ending, it’s something most Bangladeshi citizens strive towards more every day. With nowhere to turn, citizens like Masud either have to put their lives at risk to fight corruption or simply live with it, no questions asked. As the inspiring character, Masud would say: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Who knows? If the good citizens of town stand up for what’s right, Dhaka just might end up transforming from “the worst city in the world” to South Asia’s “City of Angels!” n
“I’m not an educated man, but I’ve read some history. Every kingdom comes up bloody. Every castle is built on a pile of bones.” – Mickey Cohen, “Gangster Squad”
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22 Dina Sobhan is a freelance writer and cautions readers not to take her “advice” here too seriously!
TOUGH LOVE
DINA SOBHAN
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Religion is a sensitive issue, and you should always be respectful towards others’ beliefs, especially in a country where extremism has become the norm in some factions due to poverty and what have you. I don’t know what you mean by “blasphemous,” but my suggestion is not to advertise your lack of belief by wearing revealing clothing and careening around the streets clutching a bottle of Jack
Daniels. And under no circumstances should you ever discuss religion (or politics) with friends or family – or anyone for that matter – as it rarely turns out to be a subject anyone is easily swayed on. Keep your opinions to yourself; the less you say, the less of a hypocrite you’ll be. n
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I’m more than happy to help you decide how to spend your money over dinner at Le Souffle. 9pm? I jest. Winning the lottery does sound like both a blessing and a curse. In a country such as Bangladesh, you would be a gigantic horse’s behind not to give a substantial amount of your winnings to charity. If you don’t want to focus on one place, divide it among a couple of different places. Or distribute food all over your neighbourhood and/or to a local
orphanage. There is no shortage of good deeds to be done in a country as poor as ours. Of course, you’re not Mother Theresa, so you should keep some for yourself. Spend it, sure; life is to be enjoyed. But you could also think of your future and invest in some savings, maybe? As for the moochers who have been sniffing at your door since your windfall, just enjoy it. Have them take you out for coffee to discuss ways in which to spend your money, but ultimately change your mind and walk away, saying you
I come from a religious family, but I am not religious. In fact, by most Bangladeshi standards, I would be considered blasphemous. Any advice on how I can be sensitive to people’s religious sensibilities while not being a total hypocrite?
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune
I just won the lottery. It sounds really amazing, but I don’t know how to spend all this money. Should I give it to charity, or spend it on myself? Moreover, I have never been a popular guy, but I suddenly find myself surrounded by people who want to be friends with me for my money. Help!
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need time to think. Let’s see how long your new friends hang around. Your old friends, if you have any, will be around as they always have, and you can celebrate with them by throwing a big party … and not invite any of the sycophants. Except me; I really do like you for you and not your money. n
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BACKBENCHERS’ CLUB
Across 1 5 6 8 10 11
Less dangerous than assorted fears (5) Over the hill of fooldom (3) Entertain an inspiration (5) Country health resort at home (5) Policeman parking pickpocket (3) Relinquish supply (5)
Down 1 2 3 4 7 8 9
Main team on the coast (7) Illness found among affluent (3) Initially run off elderly deer (3) Dressed up and rode around (7) Odds about single swallow (3) Glimpse mole (3) The French after a drink (3)
Solution and clues for last week’s crossword
Across Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune
5 Unprofessional Don in a true pickle (7) 6 1D some more, you can’t drink on it! (5) 9 Floating junk floats around moon (6)
Down 1 2 3 4 7 8
Witty person, like Cheryl Cole? (3) Bullfighter boy on a twisted road (7) Guilt about fictional detective (7) Sounds like path travelled by big boat (3) Back of a boat, a boat with no front (3) Hon. person increases volume (3) W E E K E N D TR IBUN E FR I DAY, M AY 3 1 , 20 1 3
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INTERVIEW
Rushnaf Wadud
Blundering along with Blunderware Tamoha Binte Siddiqui chats with the band’s vocalist
Tamoha Binte Siddiqui is a staff correspondent for Weekend Tribune, because weekends are the highlights of her life. True story!
Did you know? n
Alternative/Indie Rock band popular for their song “Afim Chaash” n
The first Bangladeshi band to be nominated for the IndieGo Music Awards n
Current projects include “The Book of Blunders,” a comic strip based on the band members
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f the members of Blunderware could be described in one word, it would definitely be “chilled.” Rushnaf (vocals), Mushfiq, Shanto (both on guitars), Salman (bass) and Wadud (drums) comprise the most laid-back, casual and funny group of guys. Rushnaf Wadud sat down with Weekend Tribune to have a heart-toheart, and during the interview, he not only shared inside jokes and funny anecdotes, but also solved the mystery behind the band’s quirky name. How was Blunderware formed? Mushfiq and I were childhood friends and we learned to play the guitar for one reason — to impress girls! We always wanted to have a band of our own, but it wasn’t possible as I left for India for studies. While in India, I scribbled some Bangla lyrics on a tissue paper and kept it inside my diary. As fate would have it, I found it years later after coming back to Dhaka. I showed it to Mushfiq and we figured out a tune to go with the lyrics in about 15 minutes. This composition later became one of our most popular songs — “Afim Chaash.” After composing the song, Mushfiq and I decided to pursue our dream of forming a band, and hence recruited another friend Salman. Later, Santo and Wadud joined us. Why did you name the band Blunderware? Well, we didn’t want to give a serious name to our band. We wanted a corny name. We considered Himesh (after Himesh Reshammiya), and even Chaddis! Mushfiq then suggested Underwear, and it evolved to Blunderware. It suited us well because it gave us the freedom to make blunders on stage and brush it off saying: “Oh, whatever! We’re Blunderware after all!” Which artistes or bands influence you? All five of us have varied taste in music, so the influence is also varied and ranges from Norah Jones to hard metal. But we’re definitely influenced heavily by alternate rock bands, such as Incubus, Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead and Porcupine Tree. What about the themes of your songs? They are also varied. For example, “Afim Chaash” was written when I was in a dark stage of my life. On the other hand, “Moshari’r Ei Din Ratri” is more about sexual politics. One of our new songs called “Patai Patai Eka Ghuri”
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doing original songs these days. I work at Radio Shadhin now, and I’m amazed by the number of original tracks by upcoming Bangladeshi bands that are in the archive. However, it’s true that a lot of good original songs don’t get the proper exposure due to lack of proper infrastructure in the music industry. Do you think there is a social stigma against musicians in Bangladesh? I think the stigma we face is of lesser intensity than the stigma faced by the previous generation of musicians. There’s a certain level of acceptability now as most of the musicians have other jobs as well. But it is true that some people from the older generation see everyone involved with the music scene as a junkie.
Photos: Courtesy
is about one of our close friends who passed away two years ago. Tell us a little about the creative process behind composing a song. There are mainly two types of songwriting. The first is when you jam with your band with a tune in order to create a structure, and then you insert the lyrics. The second is writing the lyrics first and coming up with the basic tune and later throwing the tune and lyrics at the entire band in order to create a complete composition. We follow the latter method. It’s teamwork and everyone needs to contribute to make the overall composition gel smoothly.
How is performing your own song different from performing a song by another artiste? It’s much more fulfilling when you perform your own song, of course. Nothing can beat the feeling of performing our own song and seeing the audience’s reaction. Sometimes, when the audience hums along, I get really emotional because I feel that I’m connecting with them through music. Do you think there is a scarcity of original songs nowadays as most bands prefer covering songs by other, more famous artistes? Not at all. In fact, a lot of bands are
Are you hopeful about the future of our music industry? I’m always hopeful! However, I do think that a lot of time is needed before the industry can bloom. The musicians, audience and distributors need to work together to make that happen. The musicians need to learn to market themselves better. The labels need to stop thinking about profit once in a while and take a risk with new artistes. The audience needs to become open to different artistes, bands and music genres. What can the fans expect from Blunderware in the future? We will hopefully get our first album out by this year. Apart from that, we’re also involved with a comic strip based on us, called “The Book of Blunders.” One of our fans, Tilok, is working on the artwork and I’m helping out with the script. We’ll create an online version first and then go on to print versions if it flies well. n
THE WAY DHAKA WAS
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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
Amid the hullabaloo of Dhaka University, the premises of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission look green and serene. It used to look more of so during the 80s. Established in 1973, the Commission has seen many changes around it – the establishment of Institute of Nutrition and Food Science on its one side, and the revamping of Teachers and Students Centre on the other. But it pretty much remains the same – still a green little place amid the busy capital, an ideal place for to breed new scientific ideas. Muammar Rashid is a physicist living in Dhanmondi
Nashirul Islam/Dhaka Tribune
Bangladesh Old Photo Archive
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission 1982
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Wikimedia Commons
Yusuf Banna is a staff writer at Weekend Tribune. He would be happier if he could be a poet, 24x7. He also dreams of being a painter and is envious of those who can paint
CULTURE VULTURE
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Nazrul and his conquests
Yusuf Banna writes about the national poet’s romantic relationships
K
azi Nazrul Islam, the born rebel, had a lover’s quarrel with the world. The illusive journey that was his life seems flitting to most of his admirers: he came, shook the literary world of Bangla language and then was muted for ever. The irony is, he lived for a long time unable to speak or write in the last leg of his journey. Poets are usually avant-garde in character, introvert or extrovert in life, living to influence their surroundings. Though Nazrul lived his life to the fullest, he didn’t live up to his true potential. It was his susceptible
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nature that influenced his bonding with others, especially women, which left him devastated sometimes. His relationships greatly influenced his poetry. Sometimes, it is hard to say whether his many affairs were for love, or simply his muses for poetry. Nazrul had a few epic love affairs that seem to be choreographed by fate, making his short life intense and variegated, just like his works. Of the women in Nazrul’s life, Nargis’s name comes first. This relationship was the shortest, ended tragically and still remains a mystery.
Comilla and Daulatpur are the two places that haunted Nazrul all his life. In 1921, after returning home from the World War I, Ali Akbar Khan, a friend and publisher of the poet, invited him to his hometown. In a wedding ceremony, where Nazrul hypnotised all with his usual charisma and a recitation of “Bidrohi,” a young girl named Sayeda Khatun was charmed by the poet, which lasted for the rest of her life. Nazrul was bedazzled by her beauty as well, soon as his eyes fell on her. Their relationship was intense and illusive. Nazrul renamed her after a Persian white rose – Nargis. But it didn’t last long. The obstinate decision of marrying her was just a hoax of Nazrul’s restless mind. The result: he ran away from Nargis and Daulatpur on the first night of their marriage. They reason was perhaps Nazrul’s doubt that it was his poetry that Nargis had fallen in love with, not him. Next comes the name of Fazilatunnesa. A young, beautiful and learned woman (the first female Muslim who graduated from Dhaka University) from a prestigious Muslim family, she bewitched Nazrul, but did not return his affections. They first came to know each other through letters. Nazrul wrote a bunch of letters and sent them to Fazilatunnesa through Kazi Motahar Hossain. She wrote only one letter in reply, which clearly defined the future of this relationship. It was in 1928 when Nazrul met her in person in Dhaka. Fazilatunnesa knew that he was good at palmistry. She invited him to read her hand. Nazrul took her hand in his, read the lines, and in the process gave his heart to the graceful lady. However, instead of acting on his feelings, Nazrul left Dhaka with her mere memories. His famous poetry “Shaat Bhai Champa” was written around that time. At the peak of his life, Nazrul created a craze in the Muslim community both in Dhaka and then Calcutta. His largerthan-life personality attracted many women of different ages. Nazrul, with his innate character, responded to their affection, but didn’t love them. Among many of these names, one is of Ranu. Ranu, who was married to eminent poet Buddhadeb Basu and
was well-known as Pratibha Basu, fell in love with Nazrul in her adolescence. Rumour has it that Buddhadeb Basu sent some thugs after Nazrul to beat him up, which was later proven true. Music connoisseur Dilip Kumar Roy used to enjoy Nazrul’s company; it was from him that Nazrul first heard of her. Nazrul was fascinated and went to see her, and after hearing her voice, he decided to teach her music. After the beating and the resulting retaliation, the matter was resolved by police. His relationship with Kanan Devi was somewhat similar. Nazrul used to visit her in her house and rehearse with her. His spending the night at her house fuelled the rumour mill. A magazine titled Shanibarer Chithi used to publish scoop on them. Nazrul’s restless search for love ended when he married Pramila Sengupta. It started with Pramila’s infatuation, who was only 16 then. The marriage, however, took place after her family gave consent. Their marriage was conducted by novelist M Rahman in 1924. Nazrul’s surrender to one woman after many affairs is understandable. He had his own vision of beauty, that was reflected in his poetry. After meeting Pramila, Nazrul instantly felt the connection he had craved all his life and his vision came real. n
Nazrul wrote hundreds of poems on love. His rendition in romantic lyrics is the side of the coin that most of us are not familiar with
OBITUARY
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Mohammad Khaled Hossain
Everestborn
Ibtisam Ahmed is a student of history and politics. He lives in a fantasy and writes about reality
Ibtisam Ahmed writes about the life of a man and his Everest legacy
Timeline
1978 Born in Munshiganj 1995 Passes his HSC, two years after passing his SSC 2000 Begins his mountaineering career while studying abroad 2004 Joins the crew of “Ekattorer Shobdoshena” as assistant director 2006-2011 Completes all but one of his most famous climbs 2013 Finishes his first feature film, publishes his first transliteration, successfully climbs Mount Everest and passes away on the trek back to base camp
Bigstock
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he summit of Mount Everest stands 8,848m above sea level. Very few people dare to risk such a climb and only five Bangladeshis are included in the small list of people who made it to the top. Unfortunately, the most recent successful attempt ended in tragedy, as mountaineer and film director Mohammad “Sajal” Khaled Hossain died on his trek back down on May 21. Sajal, as he was fondly referred to, was born in Munshiganj. Unusual for a man of such diverse talents and fame, his private life has remained just that – private – and not many specifics are available of his childhood. What is certain is that it was not some sort of life-changing event that shaped his life, as has been the case with some of the notable individuals in this section. Instead, Sajal had always shown a
passion for adventure and excitement. He completed a course in information and multimedia technology in Germany, but soon found himself gravitating towards filmmaking. Journalist and filmmaker Kawser Mahmud became his mentor when he worked as an assistant director on the documentary “Ekattorer Shobdoshena.” Kawser has said several times that Sajal would talk about his mountaineering dreams during the shoot. Sajal had already taken to professional mountaineering in 2000 and trained in Nepal and India, including a period of instruction at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute – the oldest such school in the Subcontinent. He transliterated the works of noted US climber Edmund Viesturs, which was subsequently
published at this year’s Ekushey Book Fair. At the same time, he also worked as a director on his first feature-length film “Kajoler Dinratri,” which is due to be released later this year. But it is in the field of mountaineering that Sajal truly made his mark. He climbed the Frey Mount in Sikkim, India in 2006. Three years later, he conquered Makalu on the Nepalese-Chinese border, the fifth highest peak in the world. 2011 saw him climb the Sindhu Chuli Mountain in Nepal. It was also the same year he first attempted to climb to the summit of Everest. A lung infection prevented him from completing the expedition that year, but two years later, he finally fulfilled his greatest dream and capped the apex of the world with a Bangladeshi flag. It was during his return trek through the infamous
death zone above the 8,000m mark that he passed away.
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t is truly tragic that Sajal was unable to savour his greatest triumph with his loved ones. But as the nation mourns the passing of one of its most daring sons, it is important to remember that he never gave up. His perseverance in the face of great adversity should be an inspiration to all. n
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LAST WORD Raida AK Reza
Raida AK Reza is a food-loving, tree-hugging, chemical engineering student. She loves writing, a lot!
Where’s the pride? The controversy surrounding the immigrant Bangladeshis in the recent Malaysian polls
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n May 5, international students residing in Malaysia were strongly advised to stay home. If going out was an utmost necessity, they were advised to carry their passports and student IDs a, in case they be questioned by authorities for their reason of stay . For an election day, it was a standard procedure and although the idea of having to explain why I was there after three years irritated me , I shrugged it off. That day seemed like a normal Sunday afternoon to me, with studies and chores to attend to, until I logged on to Twitter and saw the word “ Bangla” trending in Malaysia. I found this quite odd, and as I clicked on it, a whole new world of hurt came through. Tweets ranging from “You should go back to your country” to “comparison with dogs” were flooded on my screen, and all I could do was stare for a long while and try to make sense of what had really happened. On election day in Malaysia, the immigrant workers from Bangladesh had alleged to cast phantom votes in exchange of the
Bangladeshis have managed to export election related corruption to foreign shores. Not a very good time to be Bangladeshi in Malaysia promise of Malaysian citizenship. While this accusation is still under speculation, pictures arose of these phantom voters, and an immediate hatred towards our people ignited in the social media. Quite soon, the “Bangla” became slang and evolved
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into the word “Banglasian.” As I watched this story unfold on various social networks, all I could do was sit speechless with a heavy heart, Let’s face it. there is justifiable anger towards these people for selling out their identity to getanother country’s citizenship, I completely understand why they did it. Clearly, the notion of a better life is a beautiful song anyone would like to sing. With low pay for most labourers and no job safety, there is clearly no reason for a person to look back at the dread that is life in Bangladesh . As for the Malaysians, while this was discrimination on their behalf, we would have done the same thing (if not worse) if a group of people were to rig up our elections.
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angladesh sends unskilled labour forces out to the world with no promises of safety, and no laws in place to help them in their time of need. Once, on a stuffy day in the alleys of New Market, I overheard a conversation that went like this: “Brother, fifty grand should be more than enough to get you a Malaysian visa. Leave this country because it is hopeless!” The screening process for the labourers in Bangladesh is terrible, not to mention the middle man who gives hope of a better life, forgetting that a difference in currency does not matter that much when you are living abroad. And through these cracks, a number of truly naive people go to other countries in hope of a brighter day, only to be disappointed and hurt by the shocking reality. When I become friends with people from different countries, I urge them to visit my country with the most
beautiful monsoons, sun-kissed springs and cosy winters. I urge them to a country of joy; a country who secured 11th position of Happy Planet Index in the world; a country where the simplest of things mean the whole world to a person. But all that prevails
If you are young and poor in Bangladesh, a sense of futility and desperation is bound to engulf you. And sometimes, desperation leads to desperate means now is the horror of the uncertainty and the feeling of shame of being a Bangladeshi, because reality kills the perfect image of my golden country. As Sunday passed, more dread erupted as the streets of Dhaka were turned into a warzone, and once again, all I could do was stare at the screen in utter horror. Disturbing news and political chaos seem to have gained entropy, and all those of us who live abroad can do now is worry about their loved ones back home. A friend of mine said: “Where do we go now? Where will we feel safe and retain our pride and honour?” That is the question everyone has asked at least once this year, and till today there is no answer. n